War in Ukraine
The death toll from the enemy strike on Kharkiv has risen to two, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported. The second victim was a woman, and search and rescue operations are ongoing.
Mykolaiv was attacked by enemy drones on the night of January 3. Explosions were heard in the city, and an air raid alert was announced.
Russian troops continue to use drones at low altitudes, attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure. This is part of Russia's strategy to prolong the war and delay peace negotiations.
Polls show that 59. 6% of Poles do not expect the war in Ukraine to end by 2026. This trend has been growing since 2024, reflecting war fatigue and expectations of peace among voters.
Rescuers showed the consequences of the enemy attack on Kharkiv on January 2. Over 80 volunteers are helping to clear the destruction, search for people under the rubble, and provide support to the victims.
The German CSU party proposes sending men fit for military service back to Ukraine. It is also proposed to use refugees' personal funds and assets to cover their living expenses.
Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha supported the Ukrainian ambassador after criticism from the Czech Foreign Ministry, calling the diplomat's actions professional and justified. Sybiha emphasized that the ambassador's reaction was a response to unacceptable attacks against Ukraine.
On January 2, 104 combat engagements were recorded, Russian troops used over 100 guided aerial bombs and nearly 3,000 kamikaze drones. The enemy's greatest activity was observed in the Pokrovsk and Huliaipole directions.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a change in the format of the Ministry of Defense's work, proposing Mykhailo Fedorov to head it. Denys Shmyhal remains in the team; he has been offered another important area of state work.
Rescuers found the body of a three-year-old boy under the rubble in Kharkiv after a Russian attack. Head of Kharkiv OVA Oleh Syniehubov confirmed the child's death, the search and rescue operation continues.
A child's body has been found under the rubble in Kharkiv. The search and rescue operation is ongoing, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.
Czech opposition parties are initiating a vote on the dismissal of Tomio Okamura from the post of Speaker of the lower house of parliament. The reason for this is his New Year's statements about Ukraine, which caused outrage and accusations of spreading Russian propaganda.
The U. S. Department of State has updated its recommendations for citizens planning to travel to Russia, urging them to prepare wills and funeral wishes. This is due to the danger of the ongoing war, the risk of persecution, and the limited ability of the U.S. government to provide assistance.
Due to the difficult security situation, over 3,000 children are being evacuated from 44 frontline settlements in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Since June 1, 150,000 people have been evacuated, including 18,000 children.
Emergency rescue operations are ongoing in Kharkiv at the site of the enemy attack; the number of injured has risen to 31, including an infant. A commercial and office building and part of an apartment building have been destroyed.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb will participate in a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris on January 6, 2026. The meeting, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, will discuss support for Ukraine and peace negotiations.
Ukraine handed over lists of Ukrainian prisoners of war and missing persons to the Chief Ombudsman of Turkey, Mehmet Akarca. This was done for verification and repatriation, including the seriously ill and civilians.
On January 3, scheduled power outages and power restrictions for industrial consumers will be applied in most regions of Ukraine. These are the consequences of Russian attacks on energy facilities.
Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate Kyrylo Budanov will head the Presidential Office to strengthen defense and contacts with the United States. This appointment moves one of Ukraine's most prominent generals into a political role.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko will present new candidates for the position of the head of the State Border Guard Service. Serhiy Deineko, who has headed the service for over six years, will continue to work within the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
In 2025, Ukraine raised over UAH 569 billion from the sale and exchange of domestic government bonds at auctions, and in total, since the beginning of martial law, this figure has reached almost UAH 2. 03 trillion. The portfolio of war bonds owned by individuals and legal entities as of January 1, 2026, reached the equivalent of UAH 181.6 billion.
Russian troops shelled the Kherson CHP more than 10 times with artillery and drones during the first two days of 2026. The last attack resulted in 4 hits on the station's territory, Naftogaz delivered a thousand electric heaters for residents.
The number of victims of the missile attack on Kharkiv has risen to 30 people. Among them, 19 sustained blast injuries and wounds, and another 6 experienced an acute stress reaction, including a 6-month-old boy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is appointing Oleh Ivashchenko to a position in Ukraine's military intelligence. This happened after Kyrylo Budanov agreed to head the Presidential Office.
In early January 2026, the capacity for electricity imports from the EU to Ukraine-Moldova increased to 2450 MW. This was the result of cooperation between transmission system operators and increases the resilience of Ukraine's energy system.
As a result of a Russian missile strike on the center of Kharkiv, a shopping center was destroyed, and high-rise buildings and an educational institution were damaged. One woman is in critical condition, while the rest of the injured are in moderate condition.
In Prykarpattia, a law enforcement officer was notified of suspicion of large-scale fraud. He appropriated 2.7 million hryvnias of state aid intended for the father of a fallen National Guard servicewoman who died defending Azovstal.
A new quarter of the "Veteran Sports" program has started in Ukraine, providing veterans with UAH 1,500 to pay for gyms. Applications are accepted until January 20, said Mykhailo Fedorov.
As a result of a Russian missile strike on residential buildings in the center of Kharkiv, 19 people were injured, including a 6-month-old infant. The strike, according to the prosecutor's office, was carried out by an "Iskander" missile around 2:30 PM.
During the day, 45 combat engagements were recorded, with the enemy actively operating in the Pokrovsk, Kostiantynivka, and Huliaipole directions. Ukrainian units repelled an assault in the area of the Antonivskyi Bridge.